SOUND EQUIPMENT ACCESSORIES - WHEN THE SOUND IS CONVERTED TO AUDIO SIGNAL
In this category of products we find those sound sources which are called to be connected to the mixing console (or directly to the amplifier for smaller installations) in order to give us the music with which we will invest our space, or the announcement that we would like to heard for advertising, service work or safety reasons.
So, as we mentioned above, in this category we find sound players, microphones and musical instruments. In terms of the various audio players and musical instruments, it would probably be superfluous to mention them extensively, as for the former more or less, all of us today due to digital technology know several things, while in terms of musical instruments the reason belongs exclusively to the musicians. For the latter case only, for the simple information of the reader we could mention that there are electronic musical instruments which are connected directly to the audio console, while all the other classical instruments transfer their sound to the amplifiers and speakers with the use of special microphones per case.
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We therefore realize that perhaps the only source case for which we should mention some details in detail is that of microphones. The main categories that may concern us are two:
- condenser microphones, and
- the dynamic microphones
Capacitor microphones have a wider frequency response range, which is why they are usually more expensive than dynamic ones. They have better performance at high frequencies and at the same time are more sensitive to excessively loud sounds and if we do not pay attention to them they are easily destroyed (they should not fall to the floor). For these reasons, we meet them by 90% in recording studio and not in Live. They also have a better response to dynamics, ie they receive the sound as it is and do not compress it, but this does not mean that it is always good. Sometimes light compression of a microphone is needed. It depends purely on the voice and the musical instrument. Finally, condenser microphones need an extra + 48V power source, also known as Phantom Power. Phantom power, has almost every console, and is activated at the touch of a button.Dynamic microphones, on the other hand, are resistant to adverse working conditions and shocks, which is why we find them mainly in Live use. They do not need Phantom Power + 48Volt, and maintain the same sound quality over time, unlike capacitors, whose characteristics change. Finally, it is worth noting that due to their construction, they can withstand very high intensities, such as those that characterize the sound produced by drums and electric guitars.
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Closing this chapter we will make a brief reference to the cables, as without them, we can not have any sound effect. In general, cables can be divided into two categories: those that carry audio from the source to the audio console and from there to the amplifier - and we will call them "preamplifier cables" - and the cables that carry the now amplified sound by the amplifier in our speakers - and we will call them "final amplification signal cables".The first ones are found in a great variety both in terms of their cross section and the form of the signal they carry (monaural or stereo), but also in terms of the type of plugs with which they end. It is very important to invest in good quality cables which will be distinguished for the type and purity of their construction material, as this results in better transmission of the audio signal without dropping its level and change of its characteristics. The plugs to which these cables will terminate will depend on the signal inputs and outputs of the devices we want to connect.Final gain signal cables, on the other hand, must also meet both the requirements of the speakers and the requirements of the amplifier for high power signal transmission. So for example, their cross section will depend on both the transmitted power and the distancewhich it should cover. In the same way and for the same reasons, the quality of the construction material of these cables plays an important role.